Hydrangeas, vintage frames, + preferences

Hello friends! Welcome to my weekly update of all the things happening over here. This week let’s talk about hydrangeas, vintage frames, and preferences!

This has been a pretty busy week, and my old body has been a bit sore with all the work I have been doing. But I am nothing, if not determined!

I am one to never shy away from work, and as a DIYer, when I get in the groove, it is often easier for me to get lots done. So I am keeping that momentum. Well, at least until the weather changes. We have had a very long, warm summer that is giving us a warmer fall still. Here’s hoping my pumpkins last!

Thoughts for the week

I was thinking back to when I was a kid, mad at my Mom (probably not getting my way) and deciding it was best to run away. I was probably ten. So I packed a little snack, and headed down the street a few blocks. I didn’t make it far before I yearned for home.

Knowing my mother, she was probably following me, hiding in the bushes. But she let me think that I was really going. In minutes, I missed the comfort and safety of my home. I sheepishly headed back, to her casual response when I returned, “Oh, your back.”

What I wouldn’t give to, not only have the safety and security I felt as a child now, but to also hear her voice. The world has gone mad, and all I can do now as an adult is hope that I still have her watching over me, now as my guardian angel, and create the comforts of home.

This week has been a tough one, with tragedy hitting so very close to home, to some we know and love. How can we ever get that innocence back? Most of the time, I’m just over here, turning it over. Jesus take the wheel. Man, there is nothing I mean more today than that.

But I also am comforted by my faith, and the fact that I can work to make my home a haven. It is needed now so much. Can we have a place where our loved ones can gather, feel peace and harmony, and roost?

I want to snuggle in a big blanket, big enough for all my babies and their babies, and all the ones we love. Like a big giant squishmallow, the size of a small city, where we can run back to safety after running away for a few minutes. Wouldn’t that just be the best?

Hold your loved ones tight, hang on to everything so dear, and do what you can to create peace in your life. This is my hope for you this week. May you all join in and come to my squishmallow city.

Hydrangeas

This is that time of year where I start ‘harvesting’ my hydrangeas to dry and use in decor. Although it is something I do each year, after awhile, some old dried ones do need to be replaced.

I use dried hydrangeas in many places. Not only do I use them for inside decor, I use them outside in covered spaces, and at my antique booth. And yes, after a while they do make a mess, so they are rotated out as needed.

I have a few varieties planted at home and at our cottage up north. The white snowball ones are the most consistent and I grow those in both places. My snowball bushes up north are more mature, and offer the best yield.

I did not get any blooms this year from my other bushes that grow the pink ones. They only bloom every other year for me. Last year, I did get some beautiful blooms that dried so pretty and that I still have.

If you have some in your yard, now is the time to enjoy! Cut some to share with a friend, style on your porch, or dry more to use around the holidays.

One year, in another home we had, I dried all mine out and sprayed them silver. I then used them to decorate a large Christmas tree that was the center of our foyer. Sparkly lights really made them glisten and it was beautiful!

Vintage frames

This week, I headed to a pretty good estate sale and picked up some great items for my booth. I found this amazingly large piece of art, that I almost hesitated on and then came to my senses.

The canvas has gotten quite aged, but the thing that was soooo amazing was the frame! It is a hug and very heavy gold gilded, carved frame. The frame alone would be worth a nice chunk. However, I will not separate them, as the history of how they go together is always intriguing.

I bought a few smaller ones too. Frames always sell well as many people love to place newer art in older frames! And we all know, that they just don’t make things like they used to.

I like to collect them as well, to accommodate found stitchery, new art, and make pin boards. Next time you are out on a vintage hunt, look for great frames! You will be pleasantly surprised to find some great character for good prices too.

Preferences

Have you ever had to make a choice in a hurry, and just “settled” for something? To me, this is the saddest thing because 9/10 times, you know you aren’t going back.

The other problem I usually have is that I get an idea in my head of what I want, and then cannot find it! Like, it doesn’t exist. So I either have to make it, alter something close, or make a different choice.

This happened when we renovated 5 years ago. The mudroom was getting pulled together, and I just couldn’t find a light fixture that felt right. I searched and searched, and finally had to just go buy something (anything) to have light in there. So I chose something clean and simple, that worked with the shapes in the room.

Here I am 5 years later, and what I wanted has now surfaced. I purchased this light from Target (of all places) and am loving the way it looks in the room. When I went to install it, I realized I had a lot more to do to prep the space for install, as there is a batten board design on the ceiling that runs into the current fixture.

Since this has a different shape base, I will need to create an area for it to sit. That requires me to pull some tools out, and after the past few weeks I’ve had, I decided to wait a hot minute before I do it. At least the search for the right fixture has ended.

Weekly finds

I am loving those Walmart jeans so much, that I told you about, that I ordered them in a camo pattern too! My bestie was loving hers, and since she lives in California and me in Michigan, it was safe to order some and not end up looking like twinsies.

I also bought these cute gingham pillow shams for the bunk room, but they could really fit anywhere. And I love the color for fall too. The fabric is really nice, which is always a surprise when something is really economical.

This month, REARRANGE has helped me get so many things done! I think I am ready to move to next month’s word. I need that and a nap. But I have been loving the motivation to help me focus and get a few things done. I hope it has helped you as well.

Have you been inspired by any of our monthly words this year? Tell me about it in the comments.

Until next week

Well, thanks for spending some time with me this week. I am excited to move into October, my birthday month, and my favorite fall month of the year!

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